Car-coupling



(No Model.)

0. 0, HAUB & J, P. DASHA. OAR UOUPLING.v

Patent'edDec. 13,1892.

" ullurz 1 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. HAUB AND JOHN F. DASHA, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,120, dated December 13, 1892.

Application filed February 8. 1892- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES C. HAUB and JOHN F. DASHA, citizens of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Car-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

Our invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in car -couplers, which consists in the arrangement of parts and details of construction, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings, described, and pointed out in the specification.

The present invention relates more especially to link-couplers for freight-cars; and the object thereof is to mechanically hold the coupling-link in a horizontal position, so as to be in line with draw-head of opposite coupler, and to allow for the automatic dropping of the pin and securing of the linkwithin the coupler-heads without the necessity of the trainmen going between the cars forsuch purpose, thus overcoming liability of loss of life or loss of limbs resulting by reason of operator being caught between the cars as they come together to be coupled.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein similar letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and several views, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 2, a top plan of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the coupler, and Fig. 4 a detail view of the spring-actuated link-holder.

The letter A is used to indicate the ordinary draw-bar, and B the enlarged head thereof, within which works the link holder. Within the rear portion of hollow draw-bar is secured tail-piece C, firmly held in place by bolt 0, which passes through draw-bar, as shown. Secured to reduced end 0 of tailpiece Cby means of pin a is rear end of spiral spring D, the forward end of which is connected to stem (1 of head-block D. This headblock is maintained in proper position within head of draw-bar by means of the pin or sup- Serial No. 420,623. (No model.)

port E, the lower end of which passes through elongated slot 6 of draw-bar and is screwed into opening e, formed in the block or head D. As the head-block is moved in or out within opening of draw-bar the pin-support is carried thereby, and as same contacts with end wall of elongated slot e movement of headblock is stopped. The shape of this headblock is made to conform with open portion of draw-head, as fully shown by dotted lines, Fig.2. The upper end of pin-support E is provided with forked arms f, between which the upper end of the pin fits and by which the same is held in a raised position, the lower end resting within pin-opening f, Figs. 1 and 3. To face 01' of head-block D is suitablysecured metallic guide-piece F, which has projecting forwardly therefrom guide-ears F. The guide piece and ears aresecured at such a height as will permit of link moving thereunder. If so desired, head-block and guideears may be formed integral; but we prefer to make same separate, so that in case one of the ears becomes broken we may readily remove same and insert others in place thereof. Inasmuch as the base of the ears F project somewhat in advance of the guide-piece a shoulder or projection f is formed, which may actas a support for the pin, thus dispensing with the use of the forked support, and in place thereof a pin may be used within the elongated slot e in'order to limit movement of head-block.

When it is desired to couple the cars, the link is placed within opening of draw-head and is held therein in a horizontal position by means of the forwardly-projecting ears. under which same passes. The pin is held in a raised position within the vertical pinopening by means of the pin-support or by resting upon shoulder of the movable headblock. As the link enters draw-head of car moving thereagainst pressure upon said link forces the spring-actuated head-block backward Within draw-bar A, and as the same moves backward the pin-support is carried thereby and the pin released from between arms thereof and allowed to drop within vertical opening of draw-head and through the open link, thus firmly locking same within draw-head. As the cars are uncoupled in any Well-knownmanner, the head-block will be forced outward by resilience of spring D to its proper position.

It will thus be seen that our improvement may be readily attached to any of the freightcouplers now in use and the coupling of the cars be made perfectly automatic.

If so desired, the spring actuated headblock may be provided in face (1' with a linkretaining groove, thus allowing the projecting ears and guide-piece to be dispensed with.

However, we prefer to employ the forwardlyextending link-guide ears, as shown.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the spring-actuated head-block, of the linkguide secured thereto, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the spring-actuated head-block, of the guide-piece secured CHARLES C. HAUB; JOHN F. DASHA. Witnesses:

N. A. ACKER, J. W. KEYs. 

